Conclusion

The Supreme Court, Congress, and most state legislatures have forced upon the nation big-money campaign funding systems that allow wealthy interests to drown out the voices of ordinary Americans. But across the country, voters, reformers, and regular people are coming together every day to raise their voices and create a democracy that is truly of, by, and for all of us.

Together we are breaking down the barriers that have divided us by demographics and issues and are advocating for—and implementing—solutions that fulfill the public’s right to know who is attempting to influence our votes; remove obstacles to ordinary citizens running for and winning elected office, regardless of race, gender, or class; protect the integrity of the democratic process; and generally rebalance power between wealthy special interests and everyday voters. We join together for a democracy that responds to the needs of all people, not just the preferences of the wealthy, one in which people of color and low-income people have an equal say in setting the political agenda and an equal chance of benefiting from policy outcomes.

2016 will be a pivotal year in moving democracy reform. It will be the year in which we build upon the momentum provided by recent victories, and the year in which we take significant additional steps towards a democracy in which the strength of our voices does not depend upon the size of our wallets.